Preparation and Properties of Some Fluoroalcohol-Ethylene Oxide Adducts

The fluoroalcohol-ethylene oxide (1 : 1, 1 : 3, and 1 : 5) adducts having different constitutions, have been prepared by the addition reaction of ethylene oxide (EO) to fluoroalcohols in the presence of a base or an acid catalyst. The adducts obtained were distilled in vacuo and their surface activities-surface tension, emulsifying power, and foaming properties-were measured. The effect of the different structures of starting alcohols and the number of EO moles added on the surface active properties were clarified.